New projects and joining the group
Post-doc positions
If you are interested in working with me then I am always looking to support candidates in applying for personal post-doctoral fellowships (for instance see Newton International FellowshipsLink opens in a new window, UKRI postdoctoral FellowshipsLink opens in a new window, Royal Commission of 1851 FellowshipsLink opens in a new window, and Marie-Curie FellowshipsLink opens in a new window). If you are interested then please contact me with a CV plus small statement of your interests and we can discuss what would make a good proposal to develop and submit.
PhD projects starting in 2026
I am recruiting for the below projects. See our Department information page hereLink opens in a new window on how to apply, and see the adverts on the Department project list hereLink opens in a new window. Email me at alex.w.robertson@warwick.ac.uk if you are interested to learn more.
Magnetoelectric coupling in 2D materials - Funded Project
Magnetoelectric coupling is the interaction between electric and magnetic order parameters. It offers a powerful mechanism for controlling ferromagnetic properties using electric fields, and vice versa. In materials that exhibit both ferroelectric and ferromagnetic behaviour, this coupling enables low-power manipulation of magnetic states without relying on current-driven magnetic fields. Such control is especially promising for applications in non-volatile memory and spintronic devices, where electric-field switching could lead to faster, more efficient, and more compact architectures.
A challenge with ferroelectric and ferromagnetic materials in the context of electronic devices is the tension between the need to miniaturise, as best exemplified by Moore’s Law, and the rapid quenching of the material’s desired ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties as it gets thinner. The inherent atomic thinness of layered 2D materials present a way for us to ‘have our cake and eat it’; they allow us to preserve their functional properties even down to atomic levels, unlike their “3D” material counterparts. Understanding these new materials at the atomic level, including their reconfiguring atomic structure during switching between phases and the interplay with structural defects, is thus of significant interest for potential next-generation logic and memory devices.
This PhD project will use Warwick’s leading atomic resolution imaging facilities to diagnose these underpinning mechanisms and thus inform the design of next-generation electronic devices. We will grow and study the 2D layered material CuCrSe2, which is one of the few 2D materials that exhibit both ferromagnetism and ferroelectric properties. We will use a combination of advanced transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging techniques, including 4D-STEM to capture the shifting polarisation and atomic positions, and operando experiments (that is, experiments while imaging inside the TEM) of simple devices to correlate atomic structure to measured electrical properties.
Through this PhD project, you will benefit from training in 2D material preparation and handling, semiconductor device fabrication, and TEM imaging techniques, preparing you to contribute to the development of future electronic technologies.
Check out the project advert on our Department's project list page. If you are interested in applying follow the guidance on our page here. Please email me if you have any questions or would like to discuss the project!
Diagnosing stress corrosion cracking in steel at the nanoscale
Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in steel is a complex failure mechanism driven by the combined influence of tensile stress and a corrosive environment. Even when stresses are well below the material’s yield strength, localized tensile forces can initiate microcracks that propagate rapidly under sustained loading. Simultaneously, exposure to aggressive environments—such as chloride-rich water or caustic solutions—accelerates crack growth by attacking the steel at the crack tip. Together, these conditions create a highly dangerous scenario where sudden, brittle failure can occur without significant prior warning.
Despite decades of study, the precise mechanisms linking tensile stress and corrosive environments to SCC initiation remain poorly understood. Researchers still debate how microstructural features, stress gradients, and localized electrochemical reactions interact to trigger cracking. This uncertainty limits predictive models and hinders the development of universally reliable prevention strategies, making SCC a persistent engineering challenge.
In this project, you will use the nanoscale resolving power of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to diagnose the link between microstructure, stress, the environment, and the electrochemical conditions when it comes to steel failure. You will do this by using an operando liquid-cell, allowing us to study the steel sample as it fails in situ within an electrochemical environment. This promises to grant us new insights beyond that achievable by more conventional ex situ approaches.
As part of this project, you will develop a method for applying strain to the steel while inside this operando cell, by using an interceding layer of piezoelectric material to controllably stress the steel while studying it inside the corrosive liquid environment.
Through this PhD project, you will gain training in advanced transmission electron microscopy techniques, including seldom applied operando electrochemical methods. You will be part of a team of researchers who are using operando TEM to understand a range of topical materials science problems.
If you are interested in this project please contact me at alex.w.robertson@warwick.ac.uk.